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Save instead of Export in GIMP 2.8

Version 2.8 of GIMP saves images as .xcf files by default when you hit CTRL-S. I remember a development version did this years ago but it was reversed before final release due to user feedback AFAIR.

I can understand the reasoning behind this decision but I hate it. It really, really bugs me. I don’t think it’s going to change in the future but if you must have your CTRL-S “save as a bloody jpeg because I said so” there is a way around it. You’ll use keyboard shortcuts.

Go to Edit->Keyboard Shortcuts and then search for export. Now change the shortcut to CTRL-S for either “Export…” or “Export to”. The former shows a save dialog, while the latter overwrites the file you have loaded. I prefer the save dialog.

You’ll still get the “close without saving” dialog. If it really bugs you (and I think it will) there’s a checkbox in the preferences asking you to, “confirm closing of unsaved images”.

4 thoughts on “Save instead of Export in GIMP 2.8”

Saving with GIMP has always been a disaster, I still can’t figure it out.

If Mark Shuttleworth is serious about Ubuntu, he should lash-the-cash and get a decent image editor, a decent video editor, and a decent audio editor developed for Linux, instead of spending his money on flying his arse into space. Ubuntu “Cloud Storage” and Ubuntu “Music Store” do nothing in terms of attracting people to the platform.

Pretty much, I mean Ubuntu is pretty slick. Even though it does need something better to drive people to want to use it. I used Ubuntu for quite a while and was just sick and tired with the video drivers and having to install them the way you do in Linux. I do believe that they should make Gimp better at doing its job and the usability factor as well. I told some people to download Gimp, “Hey it’s free, and it’s kind of like Photoshop”. Instead they just went to Staples and bought Photoshop CS6. Overall I like Ubuntu, but it needs some usability help. The Cloud Storage/Music Store I could really care less about as I don’t use that stuff. I don’t see why every family shouldn’t have a 2-3 TB hard drive where they can back up all of their files.

Thank you!!!! This worked perfectly. This exporting thing was the most frustrating “improvement” of GIMP 2.8. I searched in vain for a way to revert back to 2.6, which I’ve used for years. Your tip saved the day.